Fifteen Months Old and counting

Well, it is long past due for a Canaan update. I have been wanting to do one for a long time but have not made the time until now. So, here is Canaan's 15 and 1/2 month update on how he is doing, what he likes/dislikes, etc.
THE GROWING CANAAN
Height:
Weight:
Teeth: 16 (six are brand new and still growing completely through)
Hair: A Little Longer
NEWEST NICKNAME: MONK
I don't know if you've seen the TV show called MONK, but it is very cute, clean and fun to watch. It is about a detective who is hyper-sensitive about everything. He is very orderly and doesn't like things out of place, including doors that are cracked open. Canaan is like this with the drawers and doors. He loves to say "door," point to all of them, and is all the time going around shutting them. We always leave our bathroom door open because there are no windows; he is always shutting the door. It doesn't matter what he is doing, including running to the kitchen for a cracker (his favorite food), but he will stop, close the bathroom door, and then proceed in running to the kitchen. He is so funny. If I leave a drawer cracked a bit to put something else in it, he beats me to it and closes it.
PHYSICAL FEATS
Walking: Everywhere
Running: He loves to play chase (right now it is just him running from us, but not the other way around yet).
Stepping: He is working really hard on going up and down stairs. It is one of his new favorite things to do. When I took him to the park, we climbed the 5 small steps up to the plastic slide and slid down. After a few times, he decided it was more fun to climb up the steps and then climb back down them! But, he almost always needs assistance in climbing. Because we have a step up/down into our bathroom, he practices very cautiously on this by himself.
Climbing: He is not a climber yet. He comes over and lays over the couch cushions, but isn't adventurous enough yet to try to climb up anything. My friends' kids (Aspen and Grant) who are the same age as Canaan are climbing on things; so I have learned from them to be content that mine is not yet climbing! Hang in there Nancy and Alison!
Throwing: He is getting a better hand at throwing. Now we are working on ROLLING!
NEW WORDS
cracker, spoon (poo), bowl (bow), hat (ha), water (wa-wr), bye-bye, door, diaper (di-pr), PaPa, bear (bor), belly button (be-bet), bee (bzzz), eat (eee), da (Russian for "yes"), church (tut), egg (ed), squirrel (curl), back (puts his hand on his back and says bap-the same word for bath), high-chair (ha-chor)
NEW SIGNS
baby, mom, dad, sleep, play, friend- His signs all have quite a Canaan "accent" to them. The only three he does accurately are: mom, dad, and thank you. For those of you who didn't see our video (on Dougle's blog), he will respond when we ask him: "Say Pashalusta" (which is please in Russian), he will sign please in sign language. In addition, we can tell him, "Say Spaseeba" (which is thank-you) and he will sign thank you in sign language. We are very proud of him for this!
NEW COMPREHENSION
Canaan has always been quick to comprehend what we are saying, if not the exact words, he understands our meaning. These are the newest things he responds to:
-Where is your....back, nose (on other people), belly and knee (in addition to the others he knows).
-Go get your.....whatever we ask him to get (truck, ball, drink, etc.).
-Eating words.....Are you hungry? Do you want a bite? Do you want a drink? He responds by yelling "aaaahhhh," stomping his feet excitedly, and/or running to the kitchen. He is now learning how to say "da," the Russian word for "yes."
-Don't touch....He knows exactly what it means, but doesn't always choose 'wisely.' Put that back......he'll do it most of the time, even if reluctantly.
-Come here....another command he thinks he can disregard at times.
-Lets change your diaper........he used to run away from me, but now he comes with me and just today has started to lay down on the floor by himself. Now, he still complains when it takes too long to change, but he is doing better finally!
-Do you want more?/Are you all done?........He can choose which one he really wants and responds appropriately.
-Are you ready to go night-night?.......If he is sleepy, he smiles, drops whatever he is doing, and runs into the bedroom, saying "night-night!" If he is not sleepy, he just looks at us like we are very strange! I'm sure there is more, but those are the major things I can think of.
PRETENDING
Canaan has just started pretending a little bit. It is so adorable! He will pick up an empty cup that I let him play with and put it to his mouth, tilt his head up and pretend to drink! He will also pretend that bowls are hats. He will put it on his head and say "ha," smiling and laughing the whole time. He thinks he is very funny and cute! I think so too!
MR. DRAMA KING
I am not sure who he gets this from, but he has started to become very dramatic in some things. He will get super excited and exaggerate things. For example: when he is really ready for another bite, he will go at it with extra force and speed, clamping down dramatically on the spoon and pulling off very forcefully too. He almost chokes himself being so dramatic. Then there is the DRAMA KING ACT when we have made him upset or sad. If he isn't trying to actively rebel (yes, we are going through a very rebellious stage now), then he will bend over and tuck his head in my lap and fake cry/pout until we tell him, "That's enough, Canaan. Veeseeyo (Russian)." Usually Dougle and I are smiling at each other, laughing on the inside, at our silly Drama King- until he looks up and we resume our frowning face. :)
FAVORITES/LOVES
*Blanket and Paci- Yes, we still let him have them. They've been a huge comfort to him while we've been here. He only gets them in his bed, stroller, or at church when we are trying to get him to go to sleep.
*Pulling tabs on books- This is a new skill and a new love. He likes to pull the tabs so the animals/objects move. He is getting quite good at pulling them out and then pushing them back in (though I have had to tape a few back in place while he was learning how to do it without ripping it)!
*Looking out our kitchen window at the cars and trucks in the road. He is always going over to the window, reaching his hand up, and saying "uck."
*Peek-a-boo- This is a re-newed favorite of his. He will join in the fun and run to hide behind things and slowly come out from behind them with a huge grin on his face.
*Talking on Skype- This is a new favorite thing. He likes to see whoever is calling. He will get bored and play while Dougle and I talk, but will periodically come over to the computer to say another "Hi" and check to see if the person is still there. The first time we Skyped my parents, he tried to hand them things (his truck and a book) and got upset when they didn't take them and play with him. That was a very hard experience, but later he started playing peek-a-boo with them from behind the couch. That was a game they could still play together! *Closing Doors and Drawers. He is our little helper!
*He still loves trucks (or anything with wheels), balls, books and teddy bears.
*Singing- I don't do this enough, but whenever we sing, he just smiles and listens. He especially likes, "The B-I-B-L-E," "Pat the Little Bible," and "If You are Happy and you Know It."